NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell talks return of L.A. football at Television Critics Association

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell answers questions before the ribbon-cutting and opening of Levi's Stadium Thursday, July 17, 2014, in Santa Clara, Calif. The San Francisco 49ers held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open their new home. The $1.2 billion Levi's Stadium, which took only about 27 months to build, also will host the Super Bowl in 2016 and other major events. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday said he has seen reasons for optimism for a franchise returning to Los Angeles, but noted that the biggest stumbling-bock remained a state-of-the art stadium for the team.

“We have long-term labor agreements. We have long-term television agreements. This is an opportune time to be able to do that,” he said at a CBS session for Thursday Night Football during the Television Critics Association meeting in Beverly Hills. Goodell and Robcert Kraft, the owners of the New England Patriots, pointed to the San Francisco 49ers’ recently unveiled new football stadium in Santa Clara as an example of what is needed.

Goodell added that the league has seen positive developments involving L.A. but would not elaborate.

“We’d like to make it happen,” he reiterated. As for where a team would come from, he said preferably relocation but would not rule out expansion.